1. Field
The disclosed and claimed concept relates generally to handheld electronic devices and, more particularly, to a handheld electronic device having a touch sensitive display that comprises a number of haptically detectable tactile structures.
2. Description of the Related Art
Numerous types of handheld electronic devices are known. Examples of such handheld electronic devices include, for instance, personal data assistants (PDAs), handheld computers, two-way pagers, cellular telephones, and the like. Many handheld electronic devices also feature wireless communication capability, although many such handheld electronic devices are stand-alone devices that are functional without communication with other devices.
Some handheld electronic devices have been configured to include a touch sensitive display that both provides visual output and serves as an input device. An actuation of a touch sensitive display, such as by pressing a particular location of the touch sensitive display, provides an input to a processor apparatus of the handheld electronic device. A touch sensitive display typically includes a display portion for providing the visual output and an overlay portion which overlies the display portion and which employs resistive structures, capacitive structures, acoustically-sensitive structures, and/or infrared structures, among other structures, for detecting an actuation of the overlay and to provide input to the processor apparatus.
Touch sensitive displays have not, however, been without limitation. For instance, touch sensitive displays typically provide very little tactile or other feedback to indicate to a user that an actuation has occurred, such as might be provided by a mechanical keyboard or other keyboard. The lack of tactile or other feedback to a user who is attempting to actuate a touch sensitive display results in the user typically having to expend a relatively greater amount of attention in actuating the touch sensitive display, which is undesirable. It thus would be desirable to provide an improved touch sensitive display and handheld electronic device that overcome these and other limitations.
Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the specification.